On February 7th, 2023, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors accepted the donation of an Advanced Rescue Medevac (ARM) vehicle donated by Direct Relief to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
In January 2023, shortly after the devastating floods and rain throughout the Tri-Counties area, Direct Relief contacted the California Office of Emergency Services seeking to make a donation to purchase equipment which could be used in a wide range of rescue scenarios. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office had already been working with CalOES to find something similar. CalOES put Direct Relief in contact with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate our efforts.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Ventura County Fire Department worked together and concluded the Lenco Advanced Rescue Medevac (ARM) was what would serve the citizens best. Direct Relief agreed and purchased the vehicle. On February 7th, 2023, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to accept the gift from Direct Relief.
The Lenco ARM is a fully armored vehicle. It has 36-inch run-flat tires, is 4X4, a turbo diesel engine, can drive through mud and water up to 44 inches deep, can endure direct flame for a short period of time, can climb 60-degree slopes and take winds up to 200 miles per hour. The vehicle also has a full medical interior, complete with onboard oxygen and a litter system like the equipment in an ambulance.
Because the vehicle is armored, it will be supervised and operated by members of the Sheriff’s SWAT team, but will have Ventura County Fire Department paramedics on board as part of the regular staffing for the vehicle. The purpose of the vehicle is to rescue citizens, officers and deputies in any kind of situation, whether tactical or natural disaster, and provide advanced life support to those victims until they are out of harms way and transport them to a safe location. No other vehicle in the county fleet has this capability.
Direct Relief is a world-wide humanitarian aid non-profit organization. Their mission is to improve the lives of people everywhere by providing lifesaving resources.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Ventura County Fire Department are hosting an event for Direct Relief on February 21st, 2023, to say thank you and demonstrate the capabilities of the new vehicle. The media are invited to attend. Please contact Capt. Cameron Henderson for further details of the event.
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